Ink Brother Troubleshooting
1 - When should I change the ink cartridges? 2 - How do I install the Ink Cartridge? 3 - I can't print when an ink cartridge is empty, why does this happen? 4 - Why did I get an INK EMPTY message? How can I clear it? 5 - I have already replaced my cartridge, but the LCD is still displaying an Ink Empty message. What can I do?
6 - The LCD displays NEAR INK EMPTY (COLOR). What does this message mean and how do I clear it? 7 - My printer is not printing, why? Or the print quality is poor, why? 8 - I want to print a black document but I only have the color ink cartridge installed, can I do it anyway? (For models that offer color output)
9 - There is an ink stain on the back of the paper, why does this happen? 10 - I get white horizontal lines in my prints, why does this happen? 11 - I have installed all the cartridges and still the LCD displays a NO CARTRIDGE message, why? 12 - How come that my ink cartridges run out of ink if I never or rarely print in color? 13 - I have got a CHECK CARTRIDGE error message? 14 - Why are there colors that are not printing? What can I do to solve this problem? 15 - How can I reduce ink consumption? 16 - How do I know how much ink is remaining? 17 - What can I do to improve poor print quality? 18 - What can I do if the pages I print are smudged with ink? 19 - The printer does not accept the cartridge, what is going on? 20 - The printer is printing the wrong colors
Other information that may help you 21 - How can I install my cartridge? 22 - How do I know which cartridges I should use? 23 - Should I try to print with my old ink cartridge after it is empty? 24 - My cartridge does not fit into my printer, why does this happen? 25 - Why do I get only white page prints and how can I solve this problem? 26 - I have got an error messages, what should I do? 27 - Why is my Cartridge printing streaky or with lines? 28 - My cartridge is leaking, what should I do? 29 - The cartridge is not accepted by the machine, what should I do? 30 - My cartridge is not being registered, why? How can I solve this problem? 31 - The cartridge prints poorly, or does not print at all, why does this happen and how can I solve this problem? 32 - There are colors missing, why does this happen? How can I solve this problem? 33 - The wrong colors are being printed, how can I solve this problem? 34 - Some colors are mixed or there is cross contamination, what should I do?
1 - When should I change the ink cartridges? (Back to Top)
There are two LEDs (lights) at the top of the printer that, when blinking, indicate that the ink level is running low. When they stay on without blinking, they are indicating that the cartridge(s) should be changed. When replacing the ink cartridge(s), make sure that only the power LED (green) lights.
When the 4 LEDs are off, turn on the printer, and, when the power LED lights, remove the old cartridge and insert a new one. This is of high importance so as not to get an ink low or empty indication when you actually have just installed a new cartridge.
2 - How do I install the Ink Cartridge? (Back to Top)
On the Control Panel, press the Ink key, which is at the left of the number pad.
Select REPLACE INK. The LCD display will then show PLS OPEN COVER. If there are one or more empty ink cartridges, for instance Black, the LCD will show INK EMPTY BLACK and PLS OPEN COVER.
Open the Control Panel covers. The carriage will slide the ink and position the cartridges in front of you. Then, lift the ink cartridge out of the carriage by pushing the color ink cartridge color you need to change.
Hold the new ink cartridge and take the sealing tape off from the ink cartridge. Gently, Peel it in the direction away from you so as not to spill and strain your hands and clothing.
Insert the new cartridge into the carriage. Remember that there is a correct position for each color.
When you have installed your new cartridge and closed the covers, printer prepares for a print head cleaning and then it goes online. The LCD prompts you to verify if you have inserted a new cartridge for every cartridge you have removed (e.g. DID YOU CHANGE BLCK? 1.YES 2.NO).
On the dial pad, press Yes for each new cartridge in order to automatically reset the ink counter for that color. This ink counter enables the printer to notify you when a color is running low.
The machine will run a cleaning cycle which will take around 3 minutes for each cartridge you have replaced, and the LCD will show CLEANING and PLEASE WAIT. When the cleaning cycle is completed, the LCD will return to Standby mode.
3 - I can't print when an ink cartridge is empty, why does this happen? (Back to Top)
Brother printers are designed to stop printing operations when there is an empty cartridge so as to ensure the life of the print head. If the printer continued printing, the machine would suck air from the empty cartridges when working, damaging the print head. If you change the settings to “Mono” or “Grayscale” to avoid printing in color or if you print in black, the programmed cleaning cycles will be still sucking air from the empty cartridge since these machines are programmed to clean all the ink nozzles. So, it is necessary to replace the empty cartridge if you want to continue printing.
FAX/MFC models with Fax function:
As long as there is memory available, black and white faxes will be received into memory. In the case that a color fax is being received, the Brother machine will request the fax to be sent in black and white. Some machines have got the ability to convert a color fax into a black and white one, so if that is your case, your color faxes will be received into memory as black and white. All these faxes that have been “stored” on the memory will be automatically printed when the ink cartridge has been replaced.
4 - Why did I get an INK EMPTY message? How can I clear it? (Back to Top)
If one or more cartridges are empty a message that reads INK EMPTY will appear. In order to clear the message, it is necessary for you to clear the empty cartridge(s). When the LCD shows an INK EMPTY message, the DCP will stop all printing operations.
The machine runs periodically a cleaning cycle to keep the print head cleaned. If you need to clean the print head, press the Ink or Ink Management key and select Cleaning. This cleaning process will consume an amount of ink.
5 - I have already replaced my cartridge, but the LCD is still displaying an Ink Empty message. What can I do?
(Back to Top)
It is likely that you have made an incorrect selection during the LCD prompting after the cartridge has been replaced, or maybe the hook did not snap securely over the cartridge when you were installing it.
- Open the machine until it locks into the open position.
- Pull the cartridge hook toward you and remove the cartridge which is indicated on the LCD. Then, reinstall it and press down on it until the hook snaps over the cartridge securely. Verify it is securely latched over the cartridge by pushing the hook towards the cartridge.
3. The LCD should then show:
Did you change Blck? 1.Yes 2.No.
On the dial pad, press Yes for each new cartridge in order to automatically reset the ink
counter for that color. This ink counter enables the printer to notify you when a color is
running low. If NO is selected, the LCD will display INK EMPTY.
The machine will run a cleaning cycle which will take around 3 minutes for each cartridge you have replaced, and the LCD will show CLEANING and PLEASE WAIT. When the cleaning cycle is completed, the LCD will return to Standby mode.
6 - The LCD displays NEAR INK EMPTY (COLOR). What does this message mean and how do I clear it? (Back to Top)
The NEAR INK EMPTY (COLOR) message indicates that a particular color(s) is running low. To clear this message, it is necessary for you to replace the ink cartridge(s) that is near empty.
If you do not want to change the cartridge until it is completely empty, you can continue to use the printer with the NEAR INK EMTY message on the LCD. Make sure you change the cartridge when the LCD displays INK EMPTY.
7 - My printer is not printing, why? Or the print quality is poor, why? (Back to Top)
Make sure you have removed the sealing tape from the ink cartridge. If you are getting a faint or splotchy image, try cleaning the print head. Run the cleaning cycle first, and if this does not work, try cleaning it yourself.
Check the ink is flowing through the print head:
Make sure you have removed the sealing tapes on the cartridges. If you do not see the electrical contacts on the cartridge, the plastic seal has not been removed.
Sometimes cartridges need some help to work after being bounced around during shipment. In order to solve this problem, dampen a paper towel with hot water and hold it against the print head for 5 to10 seconds. Then, rob the damp paper towel on the print head a few times. Dry the print head with a dry paper towel. When rubbing the dry paper towel across the print head you should have yellow, blue, and red lines for a color cartridge, or a black line for a black one, showing up on the towel: this means the cartridge should work. Repeat this activity a few times to open up all the print head jets.
If the above has not solved the problem, take a dry piece of paper towel and rub it rapidly on the print head in order to warm it up so as to free up the jets in the print head and allow the ink to flow properly.
If you still get poor prints, the print heads in your machine may need cleaning: Run your printer print head cleaning cycle-refer to your owner's manual for assistance. If the problem is solved after doing this, then you do not need to do anything else. If the problem is not completely fixed but you see improvement in your prints, you should run the routine again until the problem is solved.
It is possible that your machine has an air bubble problem
Tap the top of the ink cartridge and let it set for some time so that the air bubble works its way out via gravity.
If you do not see improvements, take the cartridge out of the machine and drip some ink into the inlet port in the printer using a needle and syringe (you can buy these elements.) Reinstall the cartridge and try printing again. Repeat this procedure as many times as necessary until the air bubbles in your machine are removed.
It is possible that the cartridge is damaged
Your printer may not be printing because your cartridge is damaged. First of all, if your cartridge is damaged you will need to get a new one. At all times protect the print head-while the cartridge is out of your machine and even when you install it. It is highly recommended to use a cartridge tape strips for this purpose. They protect the print head from damaging and the silicone block on them keeps the print head moist.
Prevent bumping them and dropping them: the cartridge electronic strips are very sensitive and they can get easily damaged. They can get damaged even with one of your fingers.
Regarding the sponge inside the cartridge, when the cartridge has been sitting for a long time this sponge dries up and becomes useless.
8 - I want to print a black document but I only have the color ink cartridge installed, can I do it anyway? (For models that offer color output)
(Back to Top)
Yes, if you have the color cartridge installed and you select black ink, the ink from the color cartridge will mix to form the black color. However, we recommend installing a black ink cartridge so as to save cost and increase printing speed.
9 - There is an ink stain on the back of the paper, why does this happen? (Back to Top)
This occurs because the platen is stained with ink. In order to clean the platen, feed two or three sheets of paper into the printer.
10 - I get white horizontal lines in my prints, why does this happen? (Back to Top)
Check that the printer and the print head on the cartridge are connected properly. Pull the cartridge hook toward you and then push it in again.
11 - I have installed all the cartridges and still the LCD displays a NO CARTRIDGE message, why? (Back to Top)
This occurs because one or more of the cartridges are not seated properly. Verify they are correctly placed on the printer. To do so, open the printer cover and remove the black ink cartridge. The LCD will display a message which will ask you to install the black ink cartridge. Reinstall it, pressing down on it firmly until the cartridge is correctly placed. Verify that it is fully latched over the cartridge. Repeat the same procedures to verify each color cartridge is installed properly. Then, close the top cover and the printer should begin a cleaning cycle automatically.
12 - How come that my ink cartridges run out of ink if I never or rarely print in color? (Back to Top)
- Cleaning cycles affect the color ink consumption. The printer is designed to run cleaning cycles periodically (every 2 days approximately) in order to clean the ink jet nozzles. During this process, the printer draws a small amount of ink in order to remove air bubbles from the cartridge, and dust and dried ink from the ink nozzles and channels. This process is common to all inkjet printers and it is necessary to ensure the life of the print head.
- Another possible factor is that you may be printing a lot with black and white ink without changing the preferences to GRAY SCALE. As the default setting in the print driver is color, it will mix all the colors automatically to form a selected color or even black. If you want to print only in black, you will have to change the preferences to GRAY SCALE for the printer not to use color ink to produce black color.
13 - I have got a CHECK CARTRIDGE error message? (Back to Top)
The ink cartridge may not be seated properly. Reinstall it, making sure that you have removed the sealing tape from it. Power off the printer and, after several minutes, power it on again.
14 - Why are there colors that are not printing? What can I do to solve this problem? (Back to Top)
This occurs because nozzles or ink jet in the print head must be clogged or the cartridge must not be seated properly. To solve this problem, verify the ink cartridges are installed correctly and clean the print head. To verify they are correctly placed on the printer, open the printer cover and remove the ink cartridge that is not printing. The LCD will display a message which will ask you to install the selected color ink cartridge. Reinstall it, pressing down on it firmly until the cartridge is correctly placed. Verify that it is fully latched over the cartridge. The machine will run a cleaning cycle which will take around 3 minutes for each cartridge, and the LCD will show CLEANING and PLEASE WAIT. When the cleaning cycle is completed, the LCD will return to Standby mode. Then, print a Print Quality Check Sheet to check that all colors are present:
- Press the Ink Management key.
- Select TEST PRINT.
- To confirm your choice, press Set.
- Select PRINT QUALITY.
- To confirm your choice, press Set. To print the Test Sheet, press the Color Start key.
If there are some colors still missing, try cleaning the print head. You will be given the option to clean BLACK ONLY, one of the three colors, or all four colors. In this case, we recommend cleaning only the color that is missing. If there is more than one color missing, then select ALL. To clean the print head press the Ink Management key. Select CLEANING and then, to confirm your choice, press Set. Select the color that is not printing or ALL in the case more than one color is missing, and then press set so as to confirm your choice. The machine will automatically run a cleaning cycle again. Check again that everything is working by printing a new Print Quality Check Sheet.
If there is any color still missing, we recommend cleaning the print head up to 4 more times. Make sure to always print a Print Quality Check Sheet to see if there is any improvement.
15 - How can I reduce ink consumption? (Back to Top)
Brother ink cartridges are rated at 5% page coverage; this is a measurement standard that most companies use to measure the ink consumption of a cartridge. If you print photographs or complex graphics, this percentage will increase and the life of the cartridge will be shorter.
Another “trick” to reduce consumption is to change the preferences to GRAY SCALE when you want to print in black. This is highly recommended since the default setting in the print driver is color: this means that the machine will mix all the colors automatically to form a selected color or even black. By changing the preferences to GRAY SCALE the machine will use less of the color ink to print black documents, avoiding unnecessary color ink consumption.
Cleaning cycles also affect the color ink consumption. The printer is designed to run cleaning cycles periodically (every 2 days approximately) in order to clean the ink jet nozzles. During this process, the printer draws a small amount of ink in order to remove air bubbles from the cartridge, and dust and dried ink from the ink nozzles and channels. This process is common to all inkjet printers and it is necessary to ensure the life of the print head.
16 - How do I know how much ink is remaining? (Back to Top)
To check the ink status, run the Status Monitor or from the control panel.
1. From the control panel
• Press the Ink or Ink Management key.
• Search for Ink Volume and press Menu/Set or Set.
• Select the color you want to check.
The LCD will show 7 boxes. If the ink is full, the 7th box will be filled. As you use the ink, the black box will move tin the direction of the minus sign.
• Then, press Stop/Exit
2. From the Status Monitor utility
For Windows® users:
• Double-click on the icon in the task tray or display the Status Monitor: Start/ All programs/
Brother/ MFL-Pro Suite MFC(DCP)-XXXX/ Status Monitor/ Brother MFC(DCP)-XXXX Printer.
• Another way to display the Status Monitor: Start/ All Programs/ Brother/ MFL-Pro Suite
MFC(DCP)-XXXX/ ControlCenter2 and then click on DEVICE SETTING and, afterwards, click on
INK LEVEL button.
For Mac OS® X users:
• Double-click on the icon on the menu bar or display the Status Monitor:
Macintosh HD/Library/ Printers/ Brother/ Utilities/ ControlCenter.
• Or you can display the Status Monitor: Macintosh HD/ Library/ Printers/ Brother/ Utilities/
ControlCenter, then click on DEVICE SETTINGS and, afterwards, click on INK LEVEL button.
17 - What can I do to improve poor print quality? (Back to Top)
In order to improve the print quality, clean the four color print heads, adjust the vertical alignment and/or replace the ink cartridges. Print the Print Quality Test Sheet in order to identify the print heads that need to be cleaned and if the alignment needs to be set.
To check the print quality:
- Press the Ink Management key.
- Select TEST PRINT.
- To confirm your choice, press Set.
- Select PRINT QUALITY.
- To confirm your choice, press Set. To print the Test Sheet, press the Color Start key.
Examine, closely, the quality of the four color blocks that are formed by short diagonal lines.
If they are all clear and visible, press YES and press Stop/Exit.
If there are short lines missing, press NO and repeat the quality check and cleaning process up to five times (the display will ask you if you want to state cleaning; press YES). If this does not work, replace the ink cartridge.
Once the cleaning cycle is finished, press Color Start and the machine will print another Print Quality Test Sheet.
Setting the Alignment:
- Press the Ink or Ink Management key.
- Select TEST PRINT and press Menu/Set or Set.
- Select ALIGNMENT and press Menu/Set or Set.
- Press Black (Mono) Start or Color Start. The machine will begin printing the Alignment Check Sheet.
Once you get hold of this sheet, verify if the alignment needs adjustment. If everything is alright, press Stop/Exit.
To clean the print head:
To clean the print head press the Ink Management key. Select CLEANING and then, to confirm your choice, press Set. Select the Black, Color or All you want to clean, and then press set so as to confirm your choice. The machine will automatically run a cleaning cycle again. When cleaning is finished, the machine will go back online. Check again that everything is working by printing a new Print Quality Check Sheet.
18 - What can I do if the pages I print are smudged with ink? (Back to Top)
When you load the paper check the paper support flap is unfolded.
19 - The printer does not accept the cartridge, what is going on? (Back to Top)
The cartridge may not be placed correctly in the printer:
Take the cartridge out of the machine and make sure there are no obstructions preventing the cartridge from sitting properly in the machine. Reinstall the cartridge. Check that it is sitting straight in the machine and that it is properly secure in its slot.
There must be something wrong with the electronic connections between the cartridge and the printer:
Clean the electronic strip on the cartridge with an isopropyl alcohol. Remove any debris that is on the area in the machine that reads the cartridge electronics, by blowing or with canned air.
There must be something wrong with the connection between the cartridge chip and the chip reader in the printer:
In order to ensure a good a connection, take the cartridge out of the machine. Then, clean the cartridge chip with isopropyl alcohol in order to ensure a good connection. Remove any debris that is on the area in the machine that reads the cartridge chip, by blowing or with canned air.
Check the cartridge electronic strip is not damaged:
The cartridge electronic strips are very sensitive and fragile. They get damaged really easily. Dropping the cartridge or, actually, with one of your fingers are possible ways to damage a cartridge electronic strip. This is not reparable and you will need to get a new cartridge.
If your cartridge is still not accepted by the printer, contact Brother for assistance:
If all the help we provide is not enough, then you will have to contact Brother for assistance. Make sure you explain your situation carefully.
20 - The printer is printing the wrong colors (Back to Top)
The cartridges may be placed in the wrong slots:
Check the cartridges are placed in the correct slot. If there are no instructions on where the cartridges should be
placed within your machine, you will need to look in your owner's manual.
There must be some obstructions such as dried ink or debris that prevent the ink from flowing through the print head in the machine:
To solve this problem, clean the print head:
Run your printer print head cleaning routine. If the problem is not completely fixed but you see improvement
in your prints, run the routine again up to four times.
21 - How can I install my cartridge? (Back to Top)
When either the black or color ink out light flashes, this means that the indicated cartridge is low on ink. You can install the cartridge when this light is flashing or when it is on.
In order to change the cartridge:
A. You have to make sure that the printer is on and the front paper tray is pulled down, and only then you can
open the printer cover.
B. Press the cleaning button (see Figure) holding it for a few seconds until the print head moves and the power
light begins to flash. Do not move the print head with your hands to avoid damaging the printer.
C. Pull the cartridge clamp until it clasps and the cartridge will rise up from its holder. Do not remove half-used
cartridges unless you want to replace it. Once you have taken a cartridge out, you cannot put it back into the
printer even if it is not empty.
D. Get the cartridge out of the printer and get rid of it
E. Before you place the new cartridge, remember to remove the yellow part of the sealing tape. Do not remove
the blue part or the clear seal that is underneath the cartridge.
F. Place the new ink cartridge into the holder. Make sure the label faces up and towards the back of the printer.
G. Press down the cartridge clamp until it locks in place.
H. Press the cleaning button and close the printer cover. The print head will move and the printer will begin
charging the ink delivery system. The power button will flash and make
sounds. When the charging process, which generally takes a couple of minutes, is over, the power light will
stay on.
22 - How do I know which cartridges I should use? (Back to Top)
Look on the cartridge for your inkjet model number. You can find out which cartridge you need in our inkjet section.
23 - Should I try to print with my old ink cartridge after it is empty? (Back to Top)
It is recommended not to. When printer is set to print, it heats a small amount of ink, which is then jetted onto the paper. The resistors, which heat the ink, are cooled by the ink. So, if there is not ink, the resistors overheat and, when this occurs, they burn out shortening the life of the print head. Change the cartridge when the ink warning light glows for this not to happen.
24 - My cartridge does not fit into my printer, why does this happen? (Back to Top)
There should be a temporary plastic seal attached to the cartridge. This seal helps to protect the cartridge from leaking during transit. When you are about to install a new cartridge, make sure this seal has been removed. If this was not the problem, check you have got the correct cartridge model for your printer.
25 - Why do I get only white page prints and how can I solve this problem? (Back to Top)
One of the possible causes of this problem is that the tape has not been removed from the print head. Another possibility is that there is air trapped inside the cartridge. Make sure the tape covering the print head has been removed. If there is air in the cartridge, wrap it in an absorbent towel and shake it lightly.
26 - I have got an error messages, what should I do? (Back to Top)
This might happen because the electrical contacts on the cartridge or the part of the printer where the electrical contacts meet are dirty. Clean the contacts with a towel dipped in alcohol or household degreaser in a circular motion in order not to damage the edges of the cartridge contact ribbon.
I have got an error message that reads: "CARTRIDGE ERROR" or "CARTRIDGE INSTALLED INCORRECTLY, what should I do?
This error messages pop out when there is ink residue on the cartridge contact points. Poor electrical contacts are also a possible cause of printer errors. Clean the cartridge and the printer contacts with a towel dipped in alcohol or a household degreaser in a circular motion.
When you install the cartridge into the printer, place the cartridge into the holder and make sure it is seating properly by wiggling it. Then lock it into place.
Sometimes, this error messages appear because a resistor inside the cartridge have burn out. In this case, the cartridge cannot be fixed and it must be replaced.
I have got an error message that reads: "CARTRIDGE EMPTY", what should I do?
In the case that you get no messages but there is a blinking light on your printer, which indicates that it is out of ink, and you have already installed a new cartridge, make sure the cartridge contact points are clean and free from any residue or grime.
If an error message reading “Cartridge Empty” has popped out, the printer control software may have not been reset or told that a new cartridge was installed.
The function of this printer software is to measure the cartridge ink fullness level. There is not a device inside the cartridge or the printer that measures the ink level. Instead, there is a determined amount of pages that a cartridge can print. This software is the one in charge of “controlling” the amount of pages that have been printed since the last cartridge was installed, and estimating when the cartridge will be empty. When you change the cartridge, make sure you have reset the printer driver; otherwise, the software will be still using the old cartridge data. This is why, even when you have installed a new cartridge, an error message saying low ink or empty will appear.
27 - Why is my Cartridge printing streaky or with lines? (Back to Top)
It is possible that the printer contacts are worn or dirty. Another possibility is that the print head is partially clogged.
Remove the print head assembly or cartridge with print head from the printer. Hold it with a paper towel lightly damped with warm distilled water in one hand. With your other hand, blot the print head by pressing it into the towel a couple of times. This way, you will remove any dried ink on the print head surface. There should be a uniform, solid ink pattern on towel.
If this does not solve the problem, place the cartridge into a shallow saucer of hot distilled water for around 5 to10 minutes so as to help loosen the dried ink on the ink jets. Then, try blotting it again. If there is a uniform, solid ink pattern on towel, dry off the cartridge and put it back in the printer.
The ink may appear lighter because of the water. In order to clear it out, a few blots and a test page will help.
28 - My cartridge is leaking, what should I do? (Back to Top)
It is possible that the internal pressure is unbalanced. Rest the cartridge on a paper towel with the print head downwards, and allow excess ink to balance.
While shipment the cartridge may remain upside-down for a long time, or it may experience higher than normal altitude pressure. These are also likely causes to leaking problems. If your cartridge is leaking, it up with water and paper towels. Even if it looks as if the cartridge has lost a great amount of ink, it most likely still full and should print fine.
29 - The cartridge is not accepted by the machine, what should I do? (Back to Top)
Remove the cartridge from the printer and then run the head cleaning cycle. Make sure that the plastic sealing tape has
been entirely removed, and that the electronic strip or chip is clean by wiping it off with a towel damped with isopropyl
alcohol. Power on the printer and re-install the cartridge and then, power off the printer for 60 seconds.
30 - My cartridge is not being registered, why? How can I solve this problem? (Back to Top)
This occurs because your printer or computer is not recognizing the cartridge. Make sure that tape from the print head is removed. With a paper towel, wipe the cartridge print head and printer circuitry to ensure there is no debris. Then, power off the printer. Unplug power cord and other cables and, after 30 seconds plug cords and cables back in.
31 - The cartridge prints poorly, or does not print at all, why does this happen and how can I solve this problem? (Back to Top)
Make sure you have removed the sealing tapes on the cartridges. If you do not see the electrical contacts on the cartridge, the plastic seal has not been removed.
Sometimes cartridges need some help to work after being bounced around during shipment. In order to solve this problem, dampen a paper towel with hot water and hold it against the print head for 5 to10 seconds. Then, rob the damp paper towel on the print head a few times. Dry the print head with a dry paper towel. When rubbing the dry paper towel across the print head you should have yellow, blue, and red lines for a color cartridge, or a black line for a black one, showing up on the towel: this means the cartridge should work. Repeat this activity a few times to open up all the print head jets.
If the above has not solved the problem, take a dry piece of paper towel and rub it rapidly on the print head in order to warm it up so as to free up the jets in the print head and allow the ink to flow properly.
If you still get poor prints, the print heads in your machine may need cleaning: Run your printer print head cleaning cycle-refer to your owner's manual for assistance. If the problem is solved after doing this, then you do not need to do anything else. If the problem is not completely fixed but you see improvement in your prints, you should run the routine again until the problem is solved.
If the cleaning cycle does not help the situation, clean the print head in your machine manually: remove the cartridge from the printer. Inject cleaning solution (there is a solution for printers) into the inlet port in the printer for the color that is not printing properly. Place the cartridge back into the machine at once. The cleaning solution should sit in the inlet port for at least 20 minutes so that it breaks down the clog. Sometimes it takes more than 20 minutes, or even numerous iterations of this process to remove the debris from the print head. If necessary, let the cleaner sit in the inlet port overnight.
Some cartridges have a vent at the top through which air passes to disperse the ink for printing. Make sure these air vents are not blocked by anything. If the ink is not dispersed properly the ink will print for a short time and then stop, you will get poor prints, or you will get white pages.
32 - There are colors missing, why does this happen? How can I solve this problem? (Back to Top)
If there are colors missing it is probable that there is an air bubble trapped inside the cartridge between the print head and the ink, preventing proper ink flow. When this occurs we say that the print head has been deprimed. Try running the cleaning cycle with your printer utilities program. If this does not work, shake the cartridge with a paper towel over the end in order to burst the air bubble. Repeat the cleaning cycle 2 or 3 times if necessary. If you have done this many times already and have not succeeded, dampen a paper towel with hot distilled water.
Then, place it on the print head and hold it with your fingers. Shake the cartridge 2 or 3 times quickly and firmly downwards in order to drive the ink toward the print head. Blot the cartridge by holding the paper towel with one hand and press the print head into it with the other. All colors should appear in uniform size. If they do not show up, shake it again 3 or 4 times.
Another way to prime the print head is to blow a little air through the vent hole which is on the top of the cartridge in order to expel a small amount of ink-this will force the ink to go down to the bottom of the cartridge. Afterwards, blot the cartridge again.
When storing cartridges, make sure the print head side faces down, this way they will keep primed. Even though the shelf life is longer, do not store cartridges for periods longer than 6 months.
33 - The wrong colors are being printed, how can I solve this problem? (Back to Top)
Run your print head cleaning cycle on your machine. Print some test so as to check if the colors are correcting themselves. If the output is improving, repeat the cycle until the problem is solved.
If your printer takes individual cartridges for each color, check if each cartridge is in the proper slot. If your printer does not specify the proper position for each cartridge, check your owner's manual.
34 - Some colors are mixed or there is cross contamination, what should I do? (Back to Top)
In order to fix this problem, set the cartridge with its print head downwards onto folded moistened paper towel for around 5 minutes, and then re-install it into your printer.
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